At the end of this novel, readers can't help but wonder whether Oedipa imagined the Tristero mystery, or whether it is a valid conundrum. While Oedipa sits and waits for the calling of lot 49, readers are left feeling unsatisfied about the open ending. But, is the Tristero mystery really the core of this novel's plot?
It can be argued that the 'meat' of this story is not, in fact, the mystery which Oedipa obsesses over, but rather the analyzing of why she chooses to obsess. Through miscommunication and drugs, Oedipa successfully isolates herself from those that she once considered close. She does this because she is unable to find meaning in her immediate surroundings, even mentioning her hopes that her interlude with Pierce will bring an escape reminiscent of Rapunzel's.
Oedipa is unhappy in modern society, and is a perfect example of the depression which is so common currently among those who seemingly have their lives handed to them on a silver platter. The truth of the matter is that Oedipa does not actually have any substantially problematic issues in her life, and because of this cannot find a meaning or a reason for her existence.
Because Oedipa can't find fulfillment in concrete life, she turns to something extraordinary, romanticizing events which normally would seem to be merely circumstantial. The fact that she is so interested in this mystery, and the fact that she blocks out key parts of her life (including her relationship with her husband) in order to pursue this mystery, should be a hint to readers that Oedipa has a skewed perception of the Tristero.
Through analyzing the reason for her obsession with the Tristero mystery, it can be deduced from Oedipa's obvious skewed view of the mystery that it is most likely a figment of her imagination.
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